Lions name strong Super Rugby squad

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Johannesburg - The Lions named a strong Super Rugby squad that includes 12 Springboks as they look to go one better than their appearances in the finals in the last two years.

Coach Swys de Bruin named the squad that includes Springbok captain Warren Whiteley as well as Springboks Ruan Combrinck, Andries Coetzee, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Lionel Mapoe and Elton Jantjies.

The Springbok forwards in the squad include Ruan Dreyer, Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert and Jaco Kriel. Winger Courtnall Skosan is named in the team as well, despite being ruled out by injury for the entire tournament.

Springbok Sevens player Kwagga Smith is in the squad, while Griquas scrumhalf Tian Meyer and Pumas flank Marnus Schoeman also feature.

Among the new players in the squad are former Bulls prop Jacobie Adriaanse, rising scrumhalf star Marco Jansen van Vuuren and Hacjivah Dayimani.

The Lions have lost two coaches in the last year, with head coach Johan Ackermann now at Gloucester while defence coach JP Ferreira is now with Munster.